Fightin’ Words from Putin, Ahmadinejad

Posted on Jun 3, 2007

AP Photo / ITAR-TASS

In a three-hour interview with reporters, Putin repeatedly criticized the U.S. as dangerous and hypocritical.

Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t showing any sign of softening up in his response to the U.S. government’s plans to install an anti-missile shield in Europe. Meanwhile, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dramatically announced that Israel’s days are numbered.

Globe and Mail:

Mr. Putin, in an interview at his country residence outside Moscow, said he considers U.S. plans to build an eastern European anti-missile site to shoot down Iranian missiles a provocation aimed at Russia.

Asked what he might do to retaliate, he said he would return Russia to the Cold War status where missiles were aimed at European targets.

“It is obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States is located in Europe, and according to our military experts will be threatening us, we will have to respond,” he said.

Did anyone hear Bush’s response to Russian concerns about the missle sheild? Paraphrase: We’re friends now, don’t worry about it. Join the party and have a say in your region of the world too.

Translation: We’ve got you surrounded and have acheived global first strike capability and nuclear primacy. You must comply.

I swear, everything the man says is designed to appeal to the lowest level of American intellect. World leaders must wonder how he gets away with what he passes off for rationale in this country. He’s taken the “a president you’d like to have a beer with” thing to embarrassing levels. Now I know whay the GOP is hell bent on having ACTORS as president.

It’s interesting, the formula used to demonize the countries we don’t agree with. Except for the name of the country or person, the rhetoric is the same…it’s like a record where the needle is stuck…same old thing, same old thing, same old thing, same old thing.

Who’s fault is that?

In a way it doesn’t matter…what matters is, we “do” something.

That begs the question “What”?

I would say quit pushing Putin…quit bullying the rest of the world and go back to diplomacy!

Do we really want to be the Pariah of the world?...it would appear so…for what reason?

Hi cyrena.
I couldn’t agree more. Sadly, I think the Democratic Party has to share much of the blame. The easiest example would be last Sunday’s Presidential debate. The only true anti-war candidates were so ISOLATED (physically and otherwise), one would think the blue states were full of hawks. I think Kucinich was largely ignored. And on the rare occasion he was actually asked a question, the queries were so convoluted and anecdotal, he was forced to rely on a simple slogan to make his point clear. I don’t think this was an accident. And Mike Gravel (yes, he has his problems) was treated as a subject of ridicule. One of the heroes of a past Anti-war movement was used as a character actor for comic relief. Shameful.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern redux…

“All your life you live so close to truth it becomes a permanent blur in the corner of your eye. And when something nudges it into outline, it’s like being ambushed by the grotesque”—Guildenstern

There is another leader in the Middle East that the Western media demonizes, but they can’t show us his face:

The Arab President US Media Doesnt Want You to See

Most Americans are familiar with President Mubarak of Egypt, King Abdallah II of Jordan, King Abdallah of Saudi Arabia, President Assad of Syria, and a few other Arab leaders. They are frequently seen in print media and on TV. They have one thing in common. Their skin is white. As a matter of fact, the Syrian leader is blond with blue eyes. Though the Sudan is the largest country on the African continent (2.5 million square kilometers), and its population exceeds forty million, have you ever seen its President Omar Hassan al-Bashir on TV? Though the news of the Sudan and its western region, Darfur, appear almost daily in the U.S. media, have you at any time seen his picture in a newspaper or a magazine? I doubt you did! It is not your fault. The U.S. media hides him from your sight. The reason is simple; a picture is worth a thousand words. The Sudanese President and his entire cabinet, though they are Arabs, are Blacks. All are Africans. Arabism is not a race or a blood relationship. It is a culture, a sense of belonging, history, geography, and a strong desire to unite to survive in a cruel and savage world. The lie that Arabs are carrying out massacres against Africans would immediately collapse…

Also right on Ahmedinejad…..I’ve been following his comments for some time now, just to compare what he REALLY says, as opposed to what the Western media prints. I’m not suggesting that he isn’t provactive, or that he doesn’t have his own share of the standard rhetoric about Israel that is main stream in the mostly Arab Middle East, (even though Iran is Persian rather than Arab, they’re still all neighbors for several thousands of centuries back). Still he would do well to curtail some of the rhetoric. On the other hand, his rhetoric doesn’t even come close to what has become a template for Dick Bush.

The thing that just so much pisses me off, is the Mob has stirred up all of this antagonism toward us, by the constant bullying, sabre rattling, and plain harassment of the Irananians. So, even though they may never have planned on acquiring nuclear WEAPONS (because not only Ahmadinejad, but the rest of their administration as well has repeatedly stated that they have no desire to obtain nukes as weapons) they sure as hell might have changed their minds by now.

And, who could blame them? They’re surrounded by countries with nuclear weapons, the US now has NINE warships in the Persian Gulf, and the Iranians have been put on notice that we could and probably will start bombing them at any time. (I just can’t see the point in having NINE warships, including 3 aircraft carriers over there, if that wasn’t the plan)

Meantime, we certainly COULD hear from someone with a Middle Eastern perspective (and knowledge) because it’s not like we don’t have a good supply of experts to call on. I’m surrounded by experts on the Middle East. Lot of good it does. Nobody will listen to them. I think it’s that truth thing again. Any factual information about issues of the Middle East (and the thought that factual information and informed opinion might help shape policy) would wreck havoc on the neocon agenda to own the entire region. That’s been the plan for at least a decade, and they aren’t letting anybody stand in their way…least of all any experts in the field.

“I LOOKED the man in the eye. I was able to get a sense of his soul.” These were the words of President George Bush.

clearly bush didn’t look low enough. he needed to look at putin’s balls and see that they are solid brass. i like a dictator willing to stand up to a smirking petty despot and tell him to eat shit. you go vladimir.

Also sprach BILLY BOB:
“Lets do it, fire off all the weapons,
STUPID PEOPLE!!!
TRULY PATHETIC AND REALLY FUCKING CHILDISH!
GROW THE FUCK UP, ALL THE BIGSHOT LEADERS
WHAT A BUNCH OF JERK OFFS ”

A clear and solid case for breastfeeding. I think your lost Billy Bob. “Monster Hog” is not here.
Though I found your ALL CAPS and four exclamation points compelling, I think I’ll stick with the clinically sane on this one.

How can the press get away with printing such garbage? It is utterly disgusting that these war pimps can stir up war fever. They demonstrate forever that capitalism and democracy are incompatible. That Reuters story should bring a general condemnation.

Comments say it all. I have to add that at least Putin acknowledges corruption in his government. Is it even imagineable that Bush or Cheney or Gonsalez, or…would acknowledge corruption in the government of the good old USofA? Not to mention in our “free and open” elections. Not to mention the wholesale bribery ever-present in the House and Senate. The list would fill a book.

You guys at truthdig should dig a little deeper and see how these stories are portrayed outside of the English speaking press. Your relying on government sponsored translations and interpretations. I in no way see Ahmadinejad as a saint - far from it. But his statements are being cribbed and taken out of context. Your just feeding the war-pimp. If your a true opposition, why do you let the neo-cons frame the argument? And can we please, just once, hear the perspective of someone from the Middle East? I’m sure Amy Goodman would be more than happy to share her rolodex…
As for Putin - again, no saint - WE are pushing HIM; not the other way around. Greed and avarice (through the promise of lucrative defense contracts) are pushing us to the brink of WWIII. Anyone old enough to remember Rumsfeld’s “Team B” garbage during the Carter Administration? The faces have changed but the game has stayed the same.

Putin is absolutely right to oppose our imperialism
with all means available to him, as we, ourselves, aren’t capable of controlling agressions of our own government.
Is there anybody in this world that still trust the word of our Government which is a pathological liar?
As a matter of fact, it is Putin’s duty towards Humanity to put the end to our rampage, since our internal system of Checks and Balances has collapsed, dynamited by our irresponsable leaders.
If anything can bring us back to sense , it is a strong opposition from abroad. We are in the state of drift and it is clear we can’t get out of it by ourselves.
By defending Russia, Putin is fighting for us.

Isn’t it the U.S. and Israel that have been spouting bellicossity? How ingeniously propagandistic to seize upon the occassional response and decry “fighting words” from the victim. I guess any response to a bully, other than “uncle” could be used to claim beligerance on the part of the victim.